”I interpret the American president’s choice (to visit the synagogue), also as an important marker against anti-Semitism,” says Willy Silberstein, chairman of the committee. Hate crimes against Jews have increased in Sweden during recent years, the increase has to do mostly with the development in Malmö.
”It’s amazing that people in 2013, feel forced to move from a Swedish city just because they are Jews,” Silberstein says. He recalls how Obama sent out his special envoy against anti-Semitism to Malmö last year, for discussions with Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö.
Hannah Rosenthal, Obama’s special envoy who retired last year, criticized Reepalu, who’d said that he accepted neither ”Zionism or anti-Semitism” and that he ”would wish that the Jewish community distanced itself from Israel’s violations of the civilian population in Gaza”.

ADVERTISEMENT

The U.S. thus has an insight into the situation of the Jews in Sweden. Silberstein himself recently visited the American Congress and says there’s a great concern among Republicans and Democrats alike when it comes to the spread of anti-Semitism in Europe. ”I’d like to see such an involvement also with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. I’m convinced he’s a strong opponent of anti-Semitism just like me, but he ought to show it a bit more,” he says. Last year only seven percent of all crime reports with anti-Semitic undertones were held accountable by the judiciary. Most crimes are unsolved, others are written off.

Hate crimes against Jews have increased in Sweden. Brottsförebyggande rådet or Brå (the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention), calculates that there were 220 reports with anti-Semitic undertones in 2012, an increase compared to 2011 (although it has not yet statistically secured). From 2008, these crimes have increased markedly. Primaily through more police reports in Malmö. But only 7 percent of the reports lead to someone being tried, convicted, or receiving punishment or prosecution. Swedish Jews hope that Obama's visit will highlight their situation.